The apps I use most when travelling.

There are plenty of apps I use whilst travelling. Most of them are generic ones that I am using all the time anyway to check emails and send messages and check my to-do list and listen to music and make sure I am not missing out on any social media scintillations.

But what about apps that are more specific to using on a road trip?

Here is a short list of the apps I tend to most use when traveling in our camper van.
I would love to hear if you have any additional suggestions.

Google Maps.

Google maps is by far my most open app on the road.
When driving Ripley, I have the phone on a window mount so I can easily refer over to the map as I go. This is essential for me because I am ALWAYS lost.

Quite frankly I find the technology behind google maps pretty cool. The amount of information regarding trip times, traffic congestion, nearby locations of interest, street views etc is amazing and totally useful when travelling. For once this is technology that I really does (at least in a small way) improve quality of life.

AUS Rain Radar.

Aus Rain Radar has a clean simple user interface and opens straight to the rain/storm radar screen (which is usually the information I am immediately looking for).
There are plenty of weather apps out there and some of them have more bells and whistles functionality.
But I find this app gives me the information I need up front without the clutter of having to scroll through multiple screens to find it.

Wikicamps.

Wikicamps is my go-to app for locating a place to stay for the night.
It holds a crowdsourced database of campgrounds, holiday parks, hostels, points of interest and free overnight parks for self-contained campervan/caravans.

Each site also has photos and comments provided by people who have stayed there (which are of varying degrees of usefulness).
One of the most useful functions is the ability to add filters to the map of site locations. So for example I can filter for places that are camper van and dog friendly.
Once you have selected your destination you have an option to imediately open it in google maps to guide you in.

Fires Near Me Australia.

Fires Near Me Australia is an essential download for anyone traveling in the summer months. Actually its an essential download for everyone.

It has been developed by the NSW Rural Fire Service to give you real-time locations and situation reports on nearby fires.
The app could do with some additions such as push notifications of immediate threats. But nevertheless it is a very useful reference to check the lay of the land around you.

Fuel Map Australia.

FuelMap Australia as another crowdsourced database, this time showing petrol stations and fuel prices. With diesel fuel so expensive right now, taking the time to locate the cheapest refueling option can save a few pennies.
And often just a short detour will be all that is needed.

The app also contains a fuel log book to keep track of your spendings.

Bring.

Bring is a shopping list app. Kelly and I have played around with quite a few of these things and find this one to be easiest to use.
You can set up separate lists (so we have one for home and another for our camper van) for different locations. The graphic interface is pleasant and uncluttered, it offers suggestions for recently purchased items that might be due to restock. Bring will automatically let Kelly know when I have updated the list or done the grocery shopping. Oh, and it has recipes too.

Find Friends.

Find Friends comes as a standard app on the iPhone.
Kelly and I have found it valuable on multiple occasions to track each other down when we become separated. Or to see how far away the other person is when waiting for them to get back from the shopping trip.
Of course setting up this function requires both parties to consent to being tracked and you can deselect yourself at any time.
One function that I find very useful is that I can receive a text message as soon as Kelly leaves her current location. This way I can go off and get a coffee (or grab a nap) and be right back looking like I have been hard at work when she turns up.

Day One.

Day One is a journaling app that I can highly recommend for keeping a running diary of information on places you have visited, storing travel photos, or just recording your thoughts and experiences (you can use text, photos or voice/enviroment recording).

I have been using this app for ages and it keeps getting better.
It is really useful when travelling as it automatically geotags your entry on a map (and includes the current weather status) making it easy to go back and search for specific locations and memories.